This is the one-pot low-carb dinner you’ve been waiting for! It’s an easy skillet-meal, perfect for a weeknight, but doesn’t have loads of pasta or rice. Just cauliflower shredded to look like rice. Plus zucchini and kielbasa. What’s not to love?Â
The other day Eric and I stopped at Kohl’s to get our free Twix Bites. I don’t shop at Kohl’s much, but apparently my mom does, and she’s always giving me the free 10 bucks they send you in the mail. (Thanks Mom! Probably you wanted me to buy new clothes or something. I bought candy.)
(PS. Eric and IÂ were actually on a date. Who else goes coupon shopping on their dates? What? No one?)
(Also, can I just say that I am SO good at buying exactly 10 dollars worth of free stuff. I rarely go a cent over. I just love when it’s actually FREE. They usually have scented candles on sale for less than 10, and that’s how I get my autumn scent fix on. But we were going to a movie, so Twix Bites was the obvious choice.)
Anyway. We were in the back of the store when we overheard a man call out to a Kohl’s employee:
“Excuse me, I want to ask about a women’s size 16.”
“You’re in the children’s section.”
“I’m so bad at this.”
Yes. Yes you are my friend. You are really bad at this. It reminds me of when my dad, bless his heart, would come home from work on a day my mom got her hair permed (every 6 months for 30 years) and NOT notice that her hair was suddenly in ringlets and she smelled like perm chemicals. HELLO.
I’m SO excited to share this meal with you guys! How often do I say that? Okay maybe I’m crying wolf, but I swear guys, this is one you are going to want to try. I was really craving something in a skillet a while back (that’s code for EASY.) I felt like everything I saw was pasta or rice-based. I wanted something vegetable-based that could stand on it’s own as a main dish. And that’s when I thought of cauliflower rice.
This was so flavorful! I seasoned it with dijon mustard, which compliments the kielbasa very well (a tip I borrowed from my friend Amy over at BellyFull–this Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet looks legit.)
You could replace the peas and zucchini with whatever veggies you have of course. Asparagus or carrots would be good, or a different squash. Let me know if you guys try it out!
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Cauliflower Rice Skillet with Zucchini and Kielbasa
Ingredients
- 2 medium heads cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup butter, half stick*
- Lemon Juice, juice from half a lemon
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise and chopped
- 1 & 1/2 cups frozen peas
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Begin by preparing your cauliflower. Chop each head in half, then into quarters, then separate the florets from the stem in one slice. (see photos)
- Chop the cauliflower into 1 or 2 inch pieces. Don't worry about keeping the florets pretty-looking, your pulverizing them anyway.
- Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor in batches. I usually do 3 batches per head of cauliflower. This sounds like a lot, but it only takes about 4-5 one-second pulses for each batch, so it doesn't take too long. Pulse only until the cauliflower looks like rice.
- Transfer all the cauliflower rice to a bowl and set aside.
- In a large, wide-bottomed skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. When it is shimmering, add the sliced kielbasa and spread it out into one layer. Let cook for about 3 minutes, then stir occasionally until browned on all sides, another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.
- Add a half stick of butter to the rendered sausage fat, keeping the heat a little over medium. When it is hot, add all of the cauliflower rice. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes uncovered.
- Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and dijon mustard.
- Add the chopped zucchini and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes uncovered.
- Continue cooking until the cauliflower rice and zucchini are tender.
- Add the peas and kielbasa and stir until warmed.
- Turn off the heat, even out the top, and sprinkle with cheese. At this point you can either put a lid on and wait a few minutes to melt the cheese, or you can transfer to a broiler for a minute or so.
- You could serve this with bread, green salad, fresh fruit, etc.
Notes
Nutrition
You will totally love these other recipes too!
Asian Cauliflower “Rice” (This makes a great sub for rice when eating Thai Red Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes, Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls, etc., or my favorite, this Slow Cooker Asian Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Glaze):
Indian-Spiced Cauliflower Rice: (this would be good with any curry, including Chicken Tikka Masala, One Pot Vegetable Curry, Chicken Tikka Masala Meatballs, or Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce)
6-Ingredient One-Pot Vegetable Curry: This curry has cauliflower in it, but I have actually served it on top of cauliflower rice before. Everyone loved it (we had company over, and I knew my friend was trying to cut back on carbs–she was so excited when I told her she could actually eat the “rice”) Throw in some other veggies instead of cauliflower if it seems like overkill to you.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Asparagus: (At 77,000 pins, this is definitely a reader favorite here on The Food Charlatan! It’s so easy, and super impressive. Good for company :)
Other low-carb dishes from friends!
Low Carb Deep Dish Sausage Skillet Pizza from All Day I Dream About Food
Cauliflower Gratin with Sharp Cheddar and Parmesan from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Mexican Zucchini Beef Skillet from Low Carb Yum
I made this tonight. (I omitted the peas because my son, who’s allergic to nuts, had a mild reaction to peas when he was a baby and I don’t want to chance it.) DH HATES cauliflower so I just called it vegetable rice. I fessed up when he was on his third plateful. Plus! This is a great make ahead, freeze, then heat in a skillet meal.
I don’t know how I missed this, Karen! Everything that I love right here!
*Raises hand* We’ve definitely couponed on a date before. Also – why buy boring things like clothes when you can buy CHOCOLATE. Also also – can I come over for dinner?
This looks awesome! I’m totally trying this soon. I’ve been on a carb free journey, a horrible journey and I don’t recommend it to anyone this will save my dinner!
Mmmm!! Looks delish and love the one pot meal – makes life so much easier!
girl, you crack me up! and hey, Kohl’s cash is huge :) we shop there for the kids. . and I’m sometimes able to find something comfy for myself. . I love this cauliflower rice! and I use dijon all the time to add a little something. . Amy is brilliant! :)
I laughed at loud at your perm story! Also we just recently discovered cauliflower rice, so we are always looking for new recipe. Pinned!
Love those Kohls cards!! I think that’s the only time I go there. They lure me in with Kohls cash, but unlike you, I always go over. In other news, I LOVE this dish! Everything about it. Love cauliflower rice, and all those veggies in there. So pretty!
I had to google keilbasa, but now I’ve learned a new food haha! This dish looks awesome- who doesn’t LOVE cauli rice? And yes, guys can be so oblivious haha
I am totally loving one-pot dinners right now, and this one looks healthy and delicious! Thanks :)
Me too Kristi! I’m just feeling way too lazy for anything but one-pot meals lately! Hope you enjoy it :)
This is a gorgeous recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Melissa! My family really loved it, even our kids. Win!
Dear Karen, what a great idea to use shredded cauliflower. This looks and sounds hearty and delicious. Love it! xo, Catherine
This looks amazing! I am going to save it!
HA! HA! My hubbie and I got our free 10 dollars at Kohls on a date once too. And I stuck to just about exactly $10 myself. Love it! And love this dish
Yes! I’m so glad we’re not alone here! Shopping is so much more fun when there are no children involved… :)
Hahaha my friend just told me that a while back her sister went to the salon and chopped all her hair off. She got a cute pixie cute. She was really nervous and excited to see what her husband thought. A COUPLE of months went by before she got fed up and finally said something. Didn’t you notice I chopped all my hair off!?! You did? I just thought you’ve been wearing a lot of ponytails! Haha
But that’s pretty bad not to notice the perm smell! I miss your parents. :)
MONTHS!!!??? Oh my gosh, I would die. I wouldn’t have waited one hour. I would have been so irritated! Haha. Just goes to show how much we really don’t understand men! Or at least they don’t understand us…
I miss you too! I bet this meal smells a lot better than my perms :)